Gallbladder Removal (Cholecystectomy)

Gallbladder removal (cholecystectomy) is surgery to take out your gallbladder, a small sac that stores bile to help digest fat. It’s usually done because of painful gallstones. Most surgeries are laparoscopic: a few tiny cuts, a camera, and slim tools to remove it; you usually go home the same day. You can live normally without a gallbladder—bile flows straight from your liver to your intestine.

The end result is no more gallbladder, which means no more gallstones. In general, most patients adapt to living without, and are able to eat and live normally.

Shorter wait times

Consults and surgery dates are typically scheduled in weeks—not months—which means faster return to work, sport, and caregiving duties.

Choice & control

Ability to choose a surgeon based on what's important to you (i.e. specific expertise, experience, qualifications, personal connection).

Certainty

Private pathways typically provide a clear quote and date, so you can arrange time off, caregiver help, and rehab. This certainty can ease anxiety and help families plan for recovery.

Preventing further decline

• Symptom escalation: Recurrent gallstone attacks often get more frequent and severe over time.
• Complication risk: Delays can increase chances of acute cholecystitis (infection), pancreatitis (stone blocking pancreatic duct), jaundice/cholangitis, and emergency surgery.
• Tougher operations later: Inflamed or scarred tissue from repeated attacks can make surgery longer, riskier, and more likely to need conversion to open surgery or hospital admission.
• Quality of life: Reduces ongoing pain, food restriction, ER visits, and missed work or caregiving.

1. ‍Confirm your diagnosis. Most patients start with a family doctor or specialist who confirms that gallbladder removal is needed.
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2. Research. Explore surgeons who specialize in private gallbladder removal surgery.
   • You can find surgeons in Vancouver, British Columbia; Calgary, Alberta; Toronto, Ontario; and Montréal, Québec on our app, and review qualifications, as well as pricing.
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3. Schedule an initial consultation. Most surgeons offer in-clinic and online consults.
   
   • Consultations are usually booked within days or a few weeks.
   • Note: expect a consultation fee between $150 - $350.
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4. Consultation. The surgeon will review your condition, symptoms, and any previous treatments or diagnostics, such as x-rays or MRIs.
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5. ‍Post consultation. The surgeon will then review your case and provide surgical options based on your needs; review the risks and expected outcomes; and present pricing and scheduling options.
   
   • Because the procedure is not covered by your provincial health plan when done privately, you’ll need to review the quoted cost and consider payment options (out-of-pocket, private insurance, or financing).
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6. Schedule your surgery date. Once you confirm the procedure and payment, the clinic will schedule your surgery—generally within a few weeks.
   
   • Plan for travel and accommodation, since the surgery will likely take place outside your home province.
   • Expect pre-surgery preparation, and possibly some pre-surgery tests.

The surgery itself usually takes 60-90 minutes, but can take longer depending on complications and extent of the underlying problem.

• It involves 2-3 small cut in the upper abdomen to enable a tiny camera and precise surgical tools to maneuver.
• The surgeon lifts the gallbladder, and carefully clears fat and tissue around the neck (where the cystic duct and cystic artery connect).
• Small titanium or polymer clips are placed on the cystic duct (the tube from the gallbladder) and cystic artery (blood supply) so there's no bleeding or bile leak.
• Then the gallbladder is gently separated from the underside of the liver using cautery (which also helps stop bleeding).
• Finally, the surgeon cleans the area, inspects for bile leakage and bleeding, then stitches up the incisions made in the abdomen.

The recovery process varies patient to patient. Your recovery might look quite different, so please seek further guidance from your surgeon. In general here is what you can expect:

Week 1:

• Goals: Pain and swelling management, wound protection, basic mobility.

• Activities:
  
  • Same day discharge, but can be 2-3 days.
  • Pain and swelling managed with medication.
  • Focus on keeping the area clean to avoid infection.
  • Rest and some walking to prevent blood clots.
  • Consuming clear liquids to start, avoiding greasy, fatty foods, alcohol, smoking.

Weeks 2-4:

• Goals: Increase activity, return to work, normalize diet.
  

• Activities:
  
  • Wound care, usually removing stitches around week 2.
  • Longer walks
  • Returning to sedentary work.
  • Slowly reintroducing normal food into your diet.

Weeks 5-12:

• Goals: Return to normal activity levels and diet.

• Activities:
  
  • Most activity restrictions are lifted, so you can exercise and return to low impact hobbies and sport.
  • Returning to a normal diet, though it is advisable to watch consumption of greasy food and alcohol.

Weeks 13-52:

• Goals: Complete recovery.

• Activities:
  
  • Most patients can return to all hobbies and sports, even high impact (but please consult your surgeon).

Private clinics in Canada charge between $7,000 - $12,000.

In the United States, the average cost is CA$15,100.

Costs vary so much because of surgery type, location, surgeon experience, facility type, complexity, and included services (some clinics offer all-inclusive, while others charge separately for anesthesia, followup care, etc.).

What’s included

Most quotes for private gallbladder removal surgery cover:

• Surgeon fee and anesthesia (general anesthesia; anesthesiologist—varies by clinic).
• Facility fees (OR time, nursing, standard supplies).
• Standard laparoscopic equipment/ports and routine intra‑op meds.
• Immediate post‑op recovery care and routine early follow‑ups (wound checks).
• Pathology for the removed gallbladder (often included, but confirm).

What’s usually not included:

• Pre‑op consults and advanced testing (labs, ECG, ultrasound; MRCP/CT if needed).
• Intra‑operative cholangiogram or advanced imaging if not bundled.
• Unexpected overnight admission or extended monitoring.
• Conversion to open surgery or management of complications beyond the routine global period.
• Post‑discharge medications (pain meds, anti‑nausea), and special diets/supplements.
• Travel and accommodation if surgery is out‑of‑province.

Insurance and financing options

• Private health insurance: Some plans may cover part of the costs, such as hospital fees. It’s important to check your policy directly.
• Financing plans: Many clinics offer monthly payment options to help spread out the cost. Learn more about your financing options here.‍
• Medical Expense Tax Credit (METC): This is a non-refundable credit that reduces your taxes when you pay out-of-pocket for eligible medical expenses. Learn more about how to claim METC for private surgeries.

Choosing your surgeon is one of the benefits of going the private route. Here’s what to consider and the key questions to bring to your gallbladder (cholecystectomy) consultation.

What to look for

• Experience and volume
  • Ask how many laparoscopic cholecystectomies they perform each year, and their rates of conversion to open surgery, bile duct injury, infection, and unplanned admission.
• Credentials and training
  • Confirm licensure with the provincial college (e.g., CPSO in Ontario, CPSBC in BC, CPSA in Alberta).
  • Look for FRCSC-certified general surgeons; many have additional hepatobiliary/minimally invasive surgery experience.
• Specialization and case mix
  • Ask about experience with acute cholecystitis, large/impacted stones, prior upper‑abdominal surgery, obesity, or gallstone pancreatitis—especially if any apply to you.
• Outcomes and safety protocols
  • Ask about use of “critical view of safety,” routine intra‑operative cholangiogram (IOC) or selective IOC, and protocols to reduce bile duct injury.
• Facility accreditation
  • Make sure the clinic is accredited by national bodies such as Accreditation Canada or the Canadian Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgical Facilities (CAAASF).‍
• Support services‍
  
  • Look for coordinated pre‑op imaging/labs, clear ER precautions, after‑hours contact, and a defined follow‑up plan. Ask if pathology and a surgery report will be provided for your records/insurer.

Questions to ask during your gallbladder surgery consultation

Surgeon and surgery plan

• How many gallbladder removals do you perform yearly? What are your conversion‑to‑open and bile duct injury rates?
• Given my case (e.g., prior attacks, pancreatitis, current inflammation), what approach do you recommend? Any increased risks?
• What anesthesia do you recommend (general, nerve blocks for pain control)? Same‑day discharge vs possible overnight?
• What is your plan if severe inflammation or scarring is found (e.g., subtotal cholecystectomy, conversion to open)?

Recovery and aftercare

• What’s my expected timeline to: go home, return to desk work, heavier work, driving, and normal diet?
• What pain‑control plan do you use (multimodal, anti‑nausea)? Do you recommend low‑fat diet initially?
• What red flags should prompt me to call or go to the ER (fever, worsening pain, jaundice, persistent vomiting)?
• Who do I contact after surgery (direct phone/email)? Typical response time? How many follow‑ups are included?

Costs and logistics

• What exactly is included in my quote (surgeon, facility, anesthesia, pathology, IOC if needed, take‑home meds, follow‑ups)?
• What could add cost (urgent booking, conversion to open, unexpected overnight admission, additional imaging, complications)?
• If complications occur, how are they managed and billed? Do you have a revision/ER transfer policy?
• If I’m traveling from another province, can early/late follow‑ups be virtual? What records will I receive for insurance/primary care?